The Bruins got at least one goal from each of their top three lines plus two goals from their defense in a 6-0 road rout of the New York Islanders tonight.

Center Chris Kelly was the big producer with two goals and one assist, his first three-point game as a Bruin.

Kelly now has four goals and two assists in the Bruins’ last four games. The Bruins have won eight in a row.

Tim Thomas recorded a pretty easy shutout with just 23 saves. He was particularly untested in the first period, when the Bruins outshot the Isles, 13-2. Thomas now has 28 career shutouts, which put him third on the Bruins’ all-time list.

The Bruins are now among the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference and are just two points back of first place in the Northeast Division, as they head to Montreal for a showdown with the hated Canadiens Monday night. The last time the Bruins faced Montreal, they lost both ends of a home-and-home series. They haven’t lost since.

RD
Montreal is a great city, but it is still second best in La Belle province. I’m sure JPT will surface when he feels he can get under some B fans skin. Maybe he’s joined Yvan Cournoyer in rooting for the B’s.

Another Bruins/Habs match. No sign of JPT but I’ll send out a search party.

It appears to me that the Bruins are not the same team that lost twice to the habs early on this season. The habs have also been playing better but not quite as well as boston.

Someone said that the Canadiens defense will get exposed. This is a definite possibility. The number 1 pairing right now is Subban and Gorges with Spacek, Gill and Markov (forever!) out. The young guys, Diaz, St-Denis, Weber and Emelin have done really well but they really stand a risk of getting run over by the Bruins big men. Emelin might be the exception because hitting is just about the only thing he does right. Factor in that the bruins will be all over Subban all night, there’s going to be a lot of weight on Josh Gorges who is really a 5-6th defenseman.

For the habs, a couple things are going well. Price has had 2 shutouts in a row and Pacioretty, Cole and Deharnais have been an excellent line. When was the last time the Canadiens had a line with 2 wingers with that much speed and size?

PatrickD, thanks for the kind words about Montreal. I love it here. You’re right though, the whole world has become so polarized about sports. I grew up watching fans give the Flames a standing ovation as the only team to win the Stanley cup on forum ice. Today, I have no idea how people would react, especially to fans in Bruins jerseys. I’d expect harsh words and nothing more but you never know these days. The same applies at the TD Gardens sadly.

@George, I laughed out loud at your Freudian slip. I went to university in Montreal. The women aren’t just beautiful they’re also very “friendly”…It was back in the early 90s when I lived there and the Bruins had some good teams and even swept the Habs from the playoffs one year. And I have to admit the Habs fans were always very civil and polite to this spoked B wearing french butchering bloke. And I am sure all who have been there will agree: beer in the old Forum was always impossibly cold and plentiful and not a one was ever hurled my way. Even during the sweep. However times have changed, not just in Montreal but everywhere. Civility is a thing of the past…

I worry that the Habs probably will end the streak. They’ve owned us this year and if Timmy plays we’ll probably lose. I find that Montreal knows how to beat Thomas, usually trying to score with some shot that you wouldn’t expect anyone to take in a particular situation, like a bank off the boards or a shot to the back like Vanek did a few weeks ago. But I hope I’m wrong.

One over-looked aspect of the Bruins is the strength of our defensive corps. Corvo is a big step up from Kaberle, Sidenberg very seldom makes a mistake, and Boychuk’s play has improved. Just watched the Hawks for two periods and their D-man collectively are not as good as ours. Good for Chris Kelley tonight.